Happy Friday! Our morning threads have highlighted little known African-American history. During World War II, historically Black universities and colleges were a place of refuge for persecuted Jews seeking asylum from Nazi Germany.
During World War II, the US implemented a number of xenophobic measures to limit the success of Jewish refugees and asylum seekers escaping Nazi Germany. Finding a job was a difficult task for refugees, and with very little money, they had to prove that they could support themselves without being a “public charge” to the nation.
Despite the fact that the government attempted to limit the success of Jews, administrators at historically Black universities and colleges worked to hire and save the lives of 50 Jewish scholars. At institutions such as Howard University in Washington, DC and Tougaloo College in Mississippi, Jews were brought on to teach in an accepting environment.
This relationship often led to special programs to promote meaningful conversations between Black and white people.